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About Harvey's Gang

About Harvey's Gang!

Harvey's gang starts with Harvey Buster Baldwin, who passed away on October 6, 2014. Harvey became ill with acute myeloid leukaemia at age six. He ended up spending many weeks in hospital. Whilst spending time at Worthing Hospital, (West Sussex, England) Harvey was curious about the vacuum which would take his blood to Pathology. The children's ward arranged for Harvey to visit the laboratories. Harvey enjoyed his time in the laboratories and got to wear a lab coat and badge with trainee biomedical scientist written on it. His mum said “He really enjoyed his tour,” His father added “To give him that insight was absolutely marvellous and it made him, as well as us, understand why it takes so long to process blood.” A year later Harvey lost his battle with leukaemia.

On November 6th, 2014, in honour of Harvey, Worthing Hospital unveiled the world’s first ORTHO Vision Analyser blood grouping machine. Claire (Harvey's mother) said: “We are so honoured and proud that not only will Harvey’s memory be kept alive at Worthing Hospital, but now he is leaving an international legacy.” Richard (Harvey's father) added: “To know that some good has come from all this is just brilliant – Harvey’s legacy is leaving positive things behind to enlighten other children and staff.”

Claire and Richard Baldwin, with the picture of their son Harvey now placed on the new blood grouping machine named after him at Worthing Hospital.The machine's manufacturers pledged to name the first 100 new machines sold in Europe, Middle East and Africa after patients. The patients would be known as being a part of Harvey's Gang. Critically ill children are now enjoying trainee scientist tours with their families at Worthing Hospital. And are able to wear special mini lab coats with personalised badges made by hospital staff that explain they are part of ‘Harvey’s Gang’.

Chief Biomedical Scientist Malcolm Robinson, who had personally shown Harvey around the laboratories, said: “Harvey got a lot out of his visit, more than we could ever have imagined, which is very humbling. I cannot believe the impact we have made and, as Harvey’s story reaches more and more people, we are really proud to be part of something that is having such a positive impact in so many different ways.”

Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is embracing the potential of Harvey’s story at its three hospitals in Worthing, Shoreham and Chichester. More patients will be invited to tour non-frontline areas and meet the staff who work there, and more equipment will honour the patients it helps. Mukesh Moorjani, the company’s Marketing Director, said: “We have been very touched by Harvey’s story and we consider it a huge honour that the new ORTHO Vision Analyser has been named after him.

Harvey’s mum, Claire, said: “Knowing that his photograph is on that machine would make him walk so tall, and to hear how his name will live on through Harvey’s Gang would bring his wonderful smile beaming out.”

Richard added: “We are absolutely honoured and overwhelmed, and we cannot thank Worthing Hospital and all involved enough.”